House Design

Full disclosure first: I have always been a little leery of private label brands (like the MasterForce label at Menards). I know these are usually Asian knock-offs, and the quality may not measure up to the major tool brands.

That being said, the need for a drill press with a longer quill travel and the sale price at Menards ($179.00) combined to tip the scale and I made the purchase last week.

I had a bunch of pen blanks to drill for a Freedom Pens project, and doing them with my old drill press (2 1/8 quill travel) was a PITA.

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Sure, they had all seen the model units of the high-rise before they bought their own, a decorator’s idea of modern, urban living with straight-edged white couches and pops of color — and not a soul living in them.

But once they moved in, how did these new urban dwellers decorate their own spaces? And

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Whether it’s Christmas, Chanukah or New Year’s Eve, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate at this time of year. Here are some holiday party planning tips to help your next event go smoothly and give your guests an event to remember:

Candles and dimmer lights are great for creating that party mood. Think about placing scented candles on the mantle or in your bathroom. Lower lighting is more flattering on most people as well.

Everybody likes a good party, but no one really likes cleaning up afterwards. You c

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OK, lean in. Its time for me to spill the beans about my favorite places to scavenge for recycled art and craft project supplies.

I kept this information under my hat as a courtesy to the people who shared it with me, but a couple of years have passed, and I cant wait any longer.

If you like to search for treasures on the shelves of local thrift stores and secondhand shops, Goodwill is great, but the Goodwill Outlet is even better. At the outlet in Grandville, 3035 Prairie St.

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One of the more obvious inspection items a home inspector will look for is the Temperature Pressure Relief Valve, also referred to as TPRV. This is a safety feature that’s an integral part of the gas or electric water heating system. When activated internally, very hot water, greater than boiling temperature, will quickly discharge through this valve, down an extension pipe, and into the floor drain below.

Water heaters are designed with a built-in thermostat which automatically shuts down the energy source when the desired or pre-set temperature is achieved.

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